(Please see footnotes, below, for an overview of the
Phantom Canyon Ranches and protective covenants.)

Deacons Park is a very secluded but easily accessible private estate or horse property suitable for year-round residential use. It enjoys “end of the road” privacy and seclusion and it is the only property in Phantom Canyon Ranches1 that has private vehicular access to both the upper and lower common areas.

Several of the six building sites in Deakins Park have fantastic views of the Mummy Range in Rocky Mountain National Park. The six building site locations on the property are predetermined under the covenants. Four of the six building sites have difficult access. These four sites could be developed with the aid of talented builders, engineers and architects. A financially attractive alternative to developing these sites could be the donation of one or more conservation easements.

Deakins Park lies at elevations of about 6300–6400 feet and has a variety of terrain, ranging from rolling grasslands and a large, open park surrounded by spectacular rock outcrops with ponderosa and juniper. Approximately 2/3 of the property is excellent rolling pasture and the remaining 1/3 is steep and rocky.

The climate is moderate and dry with over 300 days of sunshine per year. Rainfall and snowfall are generally similar to, or slighly lower than, in Fort Collins (about 35 miles away) or Denver (about 100 miles away) – approximately 12” of total precipitation annually.

Access to the property is by Andrews Park Road through a locked gate on the Cherokee Park Road about 5 ½ miles west of US 287.

Deakins Park shares a common boundary with The Nature Conservancy’s Phantom Canyon Preserve and has ready access to the Phantom Canyon Ranches common lands. The trout fishing in Phantom Canyon is outstanding and has been maintained as “catch and release” since 1981. Use of the Phantom Canyon Ranches common lands is shared by about 35 owners in the Phantom Canyon Ranches Landowners Association.

The Phantom Canyon Ranches protective covenants2 provide for viewshed protection for all owners of property in Phantom Canyon Ranches. There are architectural control provisions in the protective covenants, but there are no maximum or minimum square footage requirements.

Conventional electrical power is about a mile from the property. Because of the protective covenants provision that new electrical power lines be underground, bringing power to the property could be very expensive. However, solar power has become practical and affordable as an alternative to conventional power in Phantom Canyon Ranches and there are several substantial solar installations on adjacent properties in Phantom Canyon Ranches. There are phone lines at the Cherokee Park Road. Water would be obtained by drilling a domestic well. Typical well depths in the area are 600-800 feet. Cost to develop a domestic water supply, complete with pump, pressure tank and cisterns can run up to $25,000. There are no adjudicated water rights with the property.

The property has been used for livestock grazing since the 1870s and that use continues today. The property is leased to a local rancher. The lease is season to season–not long term. The property is fenced on the north and east, but not on the south or west. Other improvements on the property are a seasonal stock pond and improved spring to provide water for wildlife and livestock

In the conventional sense, Deakins Park should probably not be considered a property with “development” potential. This property is best viewed as an “heirloom” property in an exclusive conservation development with a history of nearly 20 years. The intent of this project is to provide privacy, seclusion and protection from development for its owners and to provide protection for the land and wildlife in Phantom Canyon indefinitely into the future.

The current owner has owned the property for about 20 years. The price of $1,200,000 is firm.

The information contained herein is deemed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed.

1) Phantom Canyon Ranches Overview

Over 10,000 acres of the original Phantom Canyon Ranch are protected by a combination of preserves, conservation easements and covenants which insure that more than 98% of the land will remain as open space, unchanged and unspoiled, to be enjoyed by future generations. Between 1987 and 1991 the original ranch was divided into 11 ranches known as Phantom Canyon Ranches.

Phantom Canyon Ranches surround The Nature Conservancy’s Phantom Canyon Preserve. In addition, all of the landowners (currently there are about 35 owners) in Phantom Canyon Ranches have the exclusive use of nearly 1,400 acres including about 2½ miles of exceptional catch-and-release trout fishing, recreational use of a 275 acre stocked reservoir and access to 10 miles of hiking and equestrian trails. Phantom Canyon Ranches also adjoins two Colorado State Wildlife Areas totaling more than 30,000 acres.

2) Protective Covenants

In addition to conventional provisions, the master covenants address two special conservation issues:

• Building Sites – The land ownership associated with each building site is at least 35 acres–generally more. Originally, average building site density was less than one per 100 acres. Subsequently about two-thirds of the original building sites have been extinguished by conservation easements. The locations of the building sites have been selected to ensure privacy and compatibility with the surroundings. Each building site is approximately 2¼ acres and may be fenced. With respect to visibility of the building sites, each is (1) not generally visible from any other building site, (2) not generally visible from any common road or trail and (3) not conspicuously visible from the property as a whole, outside its individual viewshed.
• The Land – Outside the building sites, the land must remain as it is, undisturbed, to maintain its natural openness and its utility for potential ranching purposes. Off-road vehicle use is strictly prohibited.